STRAWBERRY BREAD

Filed under Breads
Ingredients
3 eggs
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups cooking oil
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the 3 eggs until thick and lemon colored.  In a separate bowl, mash the strawberries.  Add the sugar, mashed strawberries, and oil to the eggs and mix well. In another large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the berry mixture and mix until just incorporated.  Divide batter evenly between 2 well-greased 9 x 5 loaf pans.  Bake for 50 minutes. Cool for 10-15 minutes before removing bread from pans.

Let's Dish
Honestly, I'd never seen strawberry bread until my sister in-law posted this recipe on her blog.  It looked so good, I had to try it.  I replaced one cup of the oil with applesauce, and it still turned out moist and delicious.  It's a great way to use up older strawberries . . . you know, the ones you hate to throw out, but don't really want to eat. I'm sure it would make great muffins too.

Who Dished It Up First
Andrea, courtesy of The Old Fashioned Strawberry Recipes Cookbook

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ROASTED CHICKPEAS

Filed under Appetizers
Ingredients
2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Dash of cayenne pepper
Dash of ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Rinse and drain chickpeas; dry well on paper towels.  Place chickpeas on lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and shake.  Return to oven for another 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine garlic salt, cumin, cayenne and black pepper in a small bowl.  Remove chickpeas from oven and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with spices and shake pan again to coat chickpeas with olive oil and seasonings.  Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until chickpeas are browned and very crunchy.

Let's Dish
I think this is my new favorite snack.  Kind of like Corn Nuts, only much healthier.  Most recipes I've seen call for one can of chickpeas, but seriously, I would eat that many in about 10 minutes.  The first time I made these, they popped all over the oven like popcorn.  I experimented with cooking temperatures and methods, and have reduced the popping to a minimum.  But be warned, you may hear a few noises coming from your oven during roasting.  Feel free to change up the spices to your liking.  Just make sure the chickpeas are nice and crunchy when you remove them from the oven.  Otherwise they tend to go a little soft when they've cooled.  I've stored these in a Ziploc bag or covered container for a few days and they've held up well.  I've never managed to keep them around longer than that.  If roasting only one can of chickpeas, you'll want to reduce the cooking time slightly.

Who Dished It Up First
This is my version of roasted chickpeas, based on several recipes I found on the Internet.  Mainly this one at Cheap, Healthy, Good.

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ROSEMARY GARLIC CHICKEN

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Using a rolling pin, pound the chicken between 2 sheets of wax paper until they are of uniform thickness. Heat the oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and the garlic browns. Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Add the salt, pepper, vinegar, chicken broth, and rosemary. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 3 minutes longer or until the chicken is fork-tender. Remove the chicken to a platter and keep warm. Increase heat to high and boil the sauce until thickened or syrupy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Let's Dish
I admit, my favorite part of making this is pounding the chicken with a rolling pin.  This comes together in about 15 minutes, so it's great for a busy week night meal.  The sauce is flavorful and a bit tangy and everyone in my family loves it.  You can use fresh rosemary, just increase the amount to one full tablespoon.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from myrecipes.com.  Originally published in Real Simple Magazine.

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TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIES

Ingredients
16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips
2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups Andes mint chocolate baking bits

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lighty grease, or line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, melt semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave at 50% power, or in a double boiler. Stir and set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium at speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Stir in the cooled melted chocolate.  Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in mint-chocolate baking bits. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture is easy to scoop and fudge-like. Using about 1 tablespoon, shape dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are set, but the centers are still soft. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Let's Dish
I'd seen this recipe over at Cookin' Canuck and needed to bring cookies to my son's Pinewood Derby.  And whenever I see a recipe that calls for a pound of melted chocolate, I have to try it!  I'm glad I did.  These have a crispy outside and a chewy, fudge-like center.  Needless to say, they were the first thing to go at the Pinewood Derby!  I did make my cookies a bit smaller (the original recipe called for 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie) since I knew I had to feed a lot of hungry cub scouts.  If you do make larger cookies, you'll probably want to increase the cooking time by a minute or two.  The dough does stiffen up quite a bit as the melted chocolate continues to cool, so you may end up with some really stiff, fudgy bits of dough stuck to the side of your bowl.  You'll just have to chip them off and eat them!  If you can't find the Andes mint chips at your grocery store, you could always chop up the full-size version. I think I may have to add these to my list of must-bake Christmas cookies this year.

Who Dished It Up First
Dara at Cookin' Cunuck, and she found it in The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book.

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PEA SALAD WITH CASHEWS AND BACON

Ingredients
1 (16 oz.) package peas, thawed
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup celery, sliced
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise

Directions
In a large bowl, combine peas, bacon, celery, green onions and cashews. Mix together sour cream and mayonnaise and add to other ingredients. Stir until well combined.  Chill until serving.

Let's Dish
The first time I tried this salad, I was a little apprehensive.  Peas as the main ingredient in a salad just seemed a little strange to me, but I loved it!  I think of it as a springtime dish, and often serve it with our Easter meal.  For me, the hardest part is not eating all of the bacon before I finish.  I don't always use all of the sour cream/mayonnaise mixture, so add it gradually rather than all at once. I like to add the bacon and cashews just before serving so they don't go soggy.  For the same reason, this doesn't make for great leftovers, but hopefully you won't have any.

Who Dished It Up First
My mom used to make this recipe.  I believe she found it in a cookbook put out by the women's organization of our local church congregation.

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YAKITORI

Ingredients
1/4 cup sake (rice wine)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
5-6 green onions

Directions
Combine first 6 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook for 3-5 minutes, until reduced to about 1/4 cup.  Remove from heat; cool.  Combine soy sauce mixture and cubed chicken. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour.  Meanwhile, cut green onions into quarters so you have pieces about 2 inches long.  Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread 6 chicken cubes and 5 green onion pieces alternately onto skewers. Brush kebabs with marinade. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place kebabs in pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through.

Let's Dish
Every Friday, my boys take turns choosing a menu and helping me fix dinner.  One of them discovered this recipe when it was his turn to plan and prepare our Friday night meal.  I think it was the idea of food on a stick that appealed to him. We learned that Yakitori is a popular Japanese street food, and is usually grilled over charcoal.  So feel free to use an outdoor rather than an indoor grill when preparing this recipe.  This was simple, delicious, and best of all, fun to eat!

You can read more about our Friday night cooking adventures here.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from myrecipes.com.  Originally published in Cooking Light magazine.

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APPLE CRUMBLE PIE

Ingredients
Prepared crust for single crust pie
5-6 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, toss peeled and sliced apples with lemon juice. Mix together white sugar, cornstarch, 3 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle over apples and toss to coat. Spread apple mixture evenly in unbaked pie shell. Using a pastry cutter (or your hands), mix together 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar and the butter until evenly distributed and crumbly in texture. Sprinkle over apples. Bake for about 1 hour, until apples are tender and topping is golden brown.

Let's Dish
When it was my 9 year-old's turn to help plan the menu and prepare dinner and he requested apple pie, I knew we'd be making a version with a streusel-style topping.  I rarely make pies that require a pastry style crust, and when I do, I go out and purchase a frozen crust. And I'm here to tell you that there is no shame in it.  But if you actually enjoy making pie crust, you should definitely go the homemade route.  Once you've got the crust taken care of, this is a pretty quick, simple recipe.  I like to use Granny Smith apples, but any firm, tart variety will do.  If you don't have an apple peeler/corer/slicer, I highly recommend getting one.  Even if the only thing you ever use it for is making apple pie.  It's so much quicker than peeling and slicing all those apples by hand, not to mention, more fun!  It's always a good idea to put a cookie sheet under your pie to catch any filling that bubbles over the sides.  Keep an eye on the crust and topping too.  I usually end up moving my pie to the lower oven rack about half-way through cooking to keep the topping from getting to brown.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from allrecipes.com

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SUPER CHEESY BAKED RAVIOLI

Ingredients
1 pound ravioli
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (26 ounce) jar prepared spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender.  Add ground beef, salt, pepper, rosemary and red pepper flakes and cook until ground beef is no longer pink.  Stir in spaghetti sauce and keep warm over low heat.  Meanwhile, cook ravioli according to package directions until just tender; drain.  In a medium bowl, stir together sour cream, ricotta cheese, basil and oregano until well blended.  Layer 1/2 of the ravioli in the prepared dish.  Top with half of the meat and sauce mixture, all of the sour cream/ricotta mixture and half of the mozzarella.  Repeat with the remainder of the ravioli, meat and sauce mixture and remaining mozzarella.  Top with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.  Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Let's Dish
My kids would eat ravioli with plain old marinara sauce every day if they could.  But sometimes I feel the need to dress it up a bit.  This recipe is reminiscent of lasagna, but without all the work.  It can be easily adapted to suit your tastes, or what you have in the refrigerator.  You could use Italian sausage in place of the ground beef, cottage cheese in place of the ricotta, or even add some vegetables to the mix.  You could even use an unfilled pasta in place of the ravioli.  Be sure not to overcook the pasta on the stovetop, as it will finish cooking in the oven.  We can never eat the whole pan in one sitting, but it freezes well, so I like to divide the recipe between two 9-inch square pans and freeze one for another day. 

Who Dished It Up First
This is an original recipe, although probably not an original idea.

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PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Ingredients
1 (8-inch) graham cracker pie crust
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
1 (8 oz.) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions
With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Blend in peanut butter and vanilla.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spoon mixture into prepared pie crust.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or until firm.

Let's Dish
I made this peanut butter dip recently, and kept thinking how, with a few adjustments, it would make a great pie filling.  So I decided to give it a try, and it came out beautifully!  This is so easy!  Not to mention, smooth and creamy and peanut buttery.  I thought it was best after setting up overnight, but it is hard to wait that long to eat it.  Light or low-fat cream cheese doesn't usually set up well in a pie like this, but I have successfully used light whipped topping. Enjoy!

Who Dished It Up First
This is an original creation.

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Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom sponsored by Cherokee USA, Le Creuset, Wilton, Bags by Bloom and Harvard Common Press.

INDIAN NAAN BREAD

Filed under Breads
Ingredients
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, and salt.  Gradually add flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume. Punch down dough. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a lightly greased tray or baking sheet. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30-60  minutes.

During the second rising, preheat a a lightly oiled outdoor grill, or indoor grill or skillet to high heat. Mix together melted butter and garlic salt in a small bowl.  Using a rolling pin, roll each ball of dough out into a thin circle. Place dough rounds on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. While bread is cooking, brush uncooked side with butter.  Turn over and brush cooked side with butter.  Continue cooking until browned, another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all of the naan has been prepared.

Let's Dish
My husband took one bite of this and said (with is mouth full of bread), "This is good bread!"  My children and I all agreed.  It does take some time and patience, but it's worth it! I use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer with a dough hook to prepare the dough, but I'm sure you could use a bread machine as well.  I usually don't use much more than 3 cups of the flour, otherwise the dough is too tough.  I've never made it on the outdoor grill, but I'm guessing it would be delicious.  Here's my little secret . . . I make this on my George Foreman grill.  I put a couple of bread rounds in, brush the tops with butter, and close the lid for about 3 minutes.  Then I flip the bread, brush the other side with butter and cook it for an additional 2-3 minutes.  I get about 20 bread rounds out of this recipe.  It never lasts past the next morning.  Which is fine, because it get's a little chewy by the next day.  But if I do have leftovers, I use it to make pita chips, or as crust for personal pizzas.  If your yeast isn't prepackaged, you'll need about 2 1/2 teaspoons to equal one packet.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from allrecipes.com.

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CHICKEN CURRY

Ingredients
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons salt, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup water, divided
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Cooked rice

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Cut chicken into bite size pieces and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.  Add to pan and cook and stir for a few minutes.  When chicken is not longer pink on the outside, add the onion, garlic and ginger to the pan.  Cook and stir until the onion turns translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cayenne, and 1/4 cup of water.  Cook and stir for about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, yogurt, additional 1/2 cup water, garam marsala and the additional teaspoon of salt.  Mix well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Just before serving, stir in lemon juice and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve over rice.

Let's Dish
I love curry, but no one else in the family cares for it much, so I only fix it once or twice a year.  Don't be scared away by the long list of ingredients--it's mostly spices.  There are so many versions of curry out there.  I don't know that this one is authentic, but I like it because it's simple and basic--just chicken and sauce.  I like to serve a lot of "mix-ins" on the side.  That way everyone can customize their dish.  Some of my favorite toppings are peanuts, golden raisins, chopped bell peppers, chopped green onions and mango chutney, but feel free to get creative!  I've used both yellow and red curry powders in this dish.  With the tomato sauce, it ends up as a red curry either way.  If you don't have garam marsala, it's simply a mix of spices listed here.  I like to serve this with Indian Naan Bread, so the rest of the non-curry loving family members have something to eat.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from allrecipes.com

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PARMESAN SCALLOPED POTATOES

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, until onion are soft.  Stir in potatoes, cream, milk, salt, pepper and parsely; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring gently, 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack, and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Let's Dish
Scalloped potatoes are just so good!  And this recipe is simple and delicious. It's not exactly low-fat though, so I try to save it for special occasions. I usually end up using about 6 medium sized pototoes and it seems to work out about right.  Russet and Yukon Gold are both good varieties to try in this dish, and I think red skinned potatoes would work well too.
 
Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from myrecipes.com.

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CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER DIP

Filed under Appetizers
Ingredients
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions
In a medium bowl mix together yogurt and peanut butter until well blended.  Stir in cinnamon.  Fold in whipped topping.  Chill until ready to serve.  Serve with fresh fruit.

Let's Dish
This stuff is a definite hit with kids--mine gave it a 10 out of 10.  Who am I kidding?  I loved it just as much as they did.  We liked it with bananas, but apples were our favorite.  Honestly, I ate a fair amount right out of the bowl with a spoon.  My kids decided to try it for breakfast, on toast and waffles.  I'm thinking it would also be really good on muffins, bagels and especially pancakes.  Low and non-fat yogurt and whipped topping are both fine in this recipe.  It kept well in the refrigerator overnight, and I suspect it would be good for several days, but it never lasts that long around here.

Who Dished It Up First
I found this recipe at New Wife Experiment, where Kat claims she doesn't have much experience in the kitchen--but all of her recipes look like winners to me.  I know this one was.

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COCONUT CAKE

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 (14 ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut, divided
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions
Prepare cake mix as per package directions for a two layer round cake. Once cake is cool split layers with a thread to create four layers. Mix together sour cream, sugar and all but 1/2 cup of the coconut.  Set aside one cup of the sour cream/coconut mixture. Spread remainder between layers of cake. In a large bowl, stir together whipped topping and reserved sour cream/coconut mixture; use this to frost the cake. Toast the remaining 1/2 cup coconut and sprinkle over cake. Refrigerate for up to 3 days before serving.

Let's Dish
This cake is so delicious!  I love the sour cream and coconut filling, and I ate a good portion of it before it made it's way into the cake.  Having made it as a four layer cake as the recipe suggests, I think in the future I will just do two layers and put all the coconut filling in the center.  I'm sure it will be just as delicious.  I don't know the theory behind refrigerating the cake for 3 days, but I can say that it was definitely worth the wait.  Although I suspect it would have been just as good after a day or two.  This cake may very well become an Easter tradition around here!

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from allrecipes.com

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DEVILED EGGS

Filed under Appetizers
Ingredients
12 large eggs
3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions
Place eggs in a large saucepan and cover with water by one inch. Bring to boil; lower heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and water. When eggs have cooked, transfer them with a slotted spoon to ice bath. Let cool completely. Peel eggs and cut each in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a bowl. Mash yolks with a fork until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and cayenne pepper.  Mix until well blended. Add additional tablespoon of mayonnaise if desired for smoother consistency.  Transfer yolk mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain or star tip, or to a ziplock bag. If using a ziplock bag, seal bag and snip off one corner. Pipe yolk mixture into empty egg whites.  Sprinkle filled eggs with paprika.  Chill until serving.

Let's Dish
I don't know why I don't make deviled eggs more often.  I love them!  They are a good way to use up all those hard boiled eggs at Easter time, but they're also great to bring along to picnics and barbecues.  They always go quickly, and even kids (at least the ones who are willing to try them) like them.  And at a cost of about 10 cents per serving, they're inexpensive too. 

Who Dished It Up First
I'm not sure where the first deviled egg originated. I've heard that stuffed eggs were featured in medieval cookbooks, so they've probably been around for awhile.  I adapted this recipe from myrecipes.com.

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CHICKEN AND RICE CREPES WITH BECHAMEL SAUCE

Ingredients
Crepes:
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1¼ cups milk
¼ teaspoon salt
Sauce:
½ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
Filling:
2 cups cooked chicken
2 cups cooked rice
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, diced
8 mushrooms, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
To make crepes, beat all ingredients together and let stand on counter for one hour. Preheat a lightly greased crepe pan or small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Pour in about ¼ cup batter and swirl around to cover bottom of pan. Cook about 1 minute, then turn carefully and cook about 1 minute on other side.

To make sauce, melt butter and whisk in flour. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

To make filling, brown celery, onion and mushrooms in frying pan. In a medium bowl, mix with cooked chicken, cooked rice and 1 cup of sauce.  Put about ⅓ cup of filling into each crepe and roll up with both ends tucked in. Place crepes in a lightly greased, shallow pan and spoon remaining sauce over top. Cover and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Let's Dish
This is a special occasion dish at our house.  I often make it in place of the traditional ham for Easter dinner.  It requires a bit of extra effort, but it's well worth it.  And the ingredients are still basic and simple.  A lot of the prep work, including making the crepes, can be done ahead of time.  A supermarket rotisserie chicken is a great time saver.  This is also a great way to use up leftover chicken and/or rice. 

Who Dished It Up First
This was served at a women's function at my church several years ago and the recipe was provided for everyone to enjoy.

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BUNNY BUNS

Filed under Breads
Ingredients
12 Rhodes frozen rolls
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

Directions
Thaw frozen dough on the countertop for several hours, until the rolls are softened, but still cold.  On a lightly oiled surface, roll each dough portion into a rope, about 14 inches long.  Cut two inches off the end of the rope and form into a small ball for a tail.  Twist the top of the rope together and place on a greased baking sheet. Pull the ends of the twist apart to form ears. Gently press the "tail" into the loop created at the bottom of the twist.  Let rolls continue to rise for 1-2 hours, or until almost doubled in size.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, whisk together egg and milk.  Gently brush each bunny with the egg mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let's Dish
This is a fun, easy way to dress up your rolls for Easter dinner.  Of course, you could always use your own recipe for homemade rolls, but the frozen dough is such a time saver, and I doubt anyone will know the difference.  These are meant to resemble the back of a bunny, as opposed to the front.  I like to use the Texas size rolls, because, well . . . I like big buns and I cannot lie.  The regular size rolls will work fine too. Kids especially love these, and they'll add a fun touch to your easter table that even grown-ups will appreciate.

Who Dished It Up First
I got the idea for these bunny buns here at Bake Space.

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RICE KRISPIES TREATS

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 (10 oz.) package regular marshmallows (about 40)
OR 4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Directions
Coat a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.  In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add Rice Krispies and stir until well coated. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into prepared pan. Cool and cut into squares.

Let's Dish
I know you can get this recipe right off the cereal box, but I hadn't added to my online collection yet.  And who doesn't want this recipe in their collection?  Rice Krispies treats are easy, inexpensive and loved by just about everyone I've ever met.  We have a friend who always puts sprinkles on her Rice Krispies treats, so my children insist on it now.  Why not?  It adds to the fun.  You can melt the butter and marshmallows in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes, stirring once during cooking. According to the recipe posted at the Kelloggs website, reduced calorie/diet or tub margarine isn't recommended.  They also say you can sustitute a 7 ounce jar of marshmallow cream for the marshmallows (although I've never tried it myself).

Who Dished It Up First
I'm guessing this is a recipe the folks at Kelloggs came up with to get people eating more Rice Krispies.

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